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[Chie Satonaka]

I'm more upset that they didn't have anything better for AJ in general rather than them proposing Shawn v AJ and Shawn declining. I'm all about Bray Wyatt being Champion, but if they're just going to make him drop it to Randy, then there was no fucking point to begin with. They should have just let AJ be Champion until Mania and had him drop it then.

I......strongly dislike Ric Flair. Overrated promo maker with the same lines. Living off of other people's money. Innovated nothing.
I also started watching from the first smackdown.

I've never been a Flair mark either.

And dana brooke should be the next champ after bayley.>__>

I also like Dana Brooke, and think her ring work would be a lot better if she had time to continue developing and wasn't booked to be Charlotte's stooge.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I grew up with Flair, Flair vs anyone great (Steamboat, Rhodes, Four Horsemen stuff) was like watching Bayley vs Sasha Banks at NXT Brooklyn 1, or DIY vs Revival. He was committed to being great and showing it while WWF was experimenting with programming for kids. Big Match Ric + he was hilarious.

The first DVD set I ever bought was the Ultimate Ric Flair Collection, and I watched every match at least 10 times.

 

[number47]

I'm more upset that they didn't have anything better for AJ in general rather than them proposing Shawn v AJ and Shawn declining. I'm all about Bray Wyatt being Champion, but if they're just going to make him drop it to Randy, then there was no fucking point to begin with. They should have just let AJ be Champion until Mania and had him drop it then.

We should tag team in the next dusty bowl.
But I think AJ not being champ was to keep his belt legacy in check. He only lost to cena and technically never got a one on one rematch.

The story they have painted makes zero sense in making Shane look like a face. He had been screwing AJ week after week making him work for a opportunity at Mania. AJ attack makes him look like a tweener. Which leads to Mania.
Where AJ will be kicked off smackdown
But how. Will Shane use a evil tactic to win?
Or will AJ call on the club to help out?

Spoiler

I kinda see a switch of abuse of power from the gms,as smackdown will start to be tougher on their stars while raw will fear theirs.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

The WWE really needs to let go of the last generation and really start promoting their next generation.

They went from half-decent weekly storylines to "Who can we bribe to wrestle at the next PPV?"

Hard to let go when they're more over than the current generation

 

[Heroman]

I......strongly dislike Ric Flair. Overrated promo maker with the same lines. Living off of other people's money. Innovated nothing.
I also started watching from the first smackdown.

I mean, you ain't wrong.

Ric flair is probably the greatest pro wreslter of all time, dude had success all over the world. And he could have amazing matches with anyone. I mean he took sting who is a so so talent and made him a stat in one night.

 

[Mahonay]

Ric flair is probably the greatest pro wreslter of all time, dude had success all over the world. And he could have amazing matches with anyone. I mean he took sting who is a so so talent and made him a stat in one night.

Eve if those other things are true it doesn't change the fact he was an all-time great performer and lit the NWA on fire.

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

I grew up with Flair, Flair vs anyone great (Steamboat, Rhodes, Four Horsemen stuff) was like watching Bayley vs Sasha Banks at NXT Brooklyn 1, or DIY vs Revival. He was committed to being great and showing it while WWF was experimenting with programming for kids. Big Match Ric + he was hilarious.

The first DVD set I ever bought was the Ultimate Ric Flair Collection, and I watched every match at least 10 times.

I have a Four Horsemen comp and that is what I watch whenever the WWE is depressing me and I'm feeling like maybe I should stop caring about the whole wrestling thing.

 

[Rival]

Vince is so desperate for names at wrestlemania I wouldn't put it past him to offer randy savage a match.

 

[number47]

Ric flair is probably the greatest pro wreslter of all time, dude had success all over the world. And he could have amazing matches with anyone. I mean he took sting who is a so so talent and made him a stat in one night.

Old spot monkey who will never pay off his debts. You can see the fear in wrestlers eyes trying not to break anything on him. Ah fuck it. Just keep him in submissions til the match is up.

 

[Mahonay]

Vince is so desperate for names at wrestlemania I wouldn't put it past him to offer randy savage a match.

"I'll owe you one pal."

 

[norm9]

I......strongly dislike Ric Flair. Overrated promo maker with the same lines. Living off of other people's money. Innovated nothing.
I also started watching from the first smackdown.

You kidding? He made his opponent look like a million bucks day in day out, dropped the belt when he needed to, had a golden tongue, fantastic heel, and his in ring antics (dropping to his knees to beg, his forward flip over the turnbuckle) are all classic. And he fucking won the royal rumble as a super heel.

 

[number47]

"I'll owe you one pal."

"No Vince, I did that one match with Shawn already. I'm not reviving anyone again."
-God

 

[kiguel182]

Yeah, it's too late. Michaels did good in just staying retired. No reason to come back and look like shit like Taker.

AJ vs prime Michaels could've been amazing.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Yeah, it's too late. Michaels did good in just staying retired. No reason to come back and look like shit like Taker.

AJ vs prime Michaels could've been amazing.

Look like shit? probably would outwork everyone including AJ

 

[petethepanda]

As someone who's been halfway paying attention to the WWE on and off for the last couple years (thanks to those Giant Bomb jerks bringing it up all the time a while back), it's been absolutely bewildering to see how much of a focus they still place on the same people who were around back when I halfway payed attention back in the mid/late 90s. I'm all for bringing back some of the old dudes for a show or two or for an appearance at Wrestlemania or whatever, but the idea that they're building all these storylines around old dudes instead of new blood is crazy.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

As someone who's been halfway paying attention to the WWE on and off for the last couple years (thanks to those Giant Bomb jerks bringing it up all the time a while back), it's been absolutely bewildering to see how much of a focus they still place on the same people who were around back when I halfway payed attention back in the mid/late 90s. I'm all for bringing back some of the old dudes for a show or two or for an appearance at Wrestlemania or whatever, but the idea that they're building all these storylines around old dudes instead of new blood is crazy.

"new blood" get the other 11 months of the year to be focused on them, they won't fill a stadium though. Wrestlemania attendees expect the biggest names

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

"new blood" get the other 11 months of the year to be focused on them, they won't fill a stadium though. Wrestlemania attendees expect the biggest names

The biggest names used to be the actual active wrestlers though

 

[RecRoulette]

"new blood" get the other 11 months of the year to be focused on them, they won't fill a stadium though. Wrestlemania attendees expect the biggest names

Aren't the attendees split between folks that don't care and folks that will go no matter what?

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

The biggest names used to be the actual active wrestlers though

I agree, WWE has had a lot of difficulty creating new stars. It's also on them with 99% of the roster having 50/50 booking and no one looking stronger than the other (no one will care)

Aren't the attendees split between folks that don't care and folks that will go no matter what?

I don't know the split but when people fly from all over to attend, they're not expecting an Owens/AJ indie match

 

[pauljeremiah]

Well, technically you could say Foley was in wrestling shape I guess?

Round is a shape I guess

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Also you have to remember this is the company that pulled a prank on Michaels where they told him they wanted to do a bit of action so he got in shape for his last Mania appearance. That's why he showed up in his gear and super fit while Austin was wearing a t-shirt that barely covered up his beer belly. Foley at least bothered to show up "in character".

You have to deal with Vince like you're working with a six year old in a suit.

what prank? They told all of them to show up in shape, only HBK actually did it

 

[ReiGun]

The biggest names used to be the actual active wrestlers though

They can't make new stars. Some of that is on the talent; no one wants to see charisma vaccums like TJ Perkins or Apollo Crews no matter how good they are in the ring. The current roster is also notoriously bad at advocating for themselves. Wrestlers of the past may have been scummy as fuck, but they knew how to protect their brand and come up with ideas that got them ahead.

Part of it is also on management. So much of the current booking ranges from bland to flat out terrible. 50/50 booking where no one truly gets over. Characters no one wants to get behind (faces are all either boring or assholes, heels are pathetically weak and too sympathetic). No long term planning.

When someone does get over, they either make baffling decisions that kill most of their heat (Sasha Banks, Seth Rollins post injury, Bayley), pull them from TV for weeks (Heath Slater, American Alpha) or job them out to Cena or Reigns.

It's not all bad, of course. AJ is one of the biggest stars on the roster and a legit draw, I'd say. The New Day, if they continue to make the right moves, are on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream. But the company as a whole really needs to reconsider how they utilize talent. They can't keep relying on the old guys forever. As we see with Shawn, many of the guys today's fans would care about that can also still go in the ring simply don't want to come back, and are well off enough that there's nothing Vince can tempt them back with.

 

[RecRoulette]

I don't know the split but when people fly from all over to attend, they're not expecting an Owens/AJ indie match

What is this 2010?

 

[King_Moc]

I don't know the split but when people fly from all over to attend, they're not expecting an Owens/AJ indie match

I've travelled to five mania's and it seemed to me like the travelling hardcore fans wanted exactly that kind of thing.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

LMAO at the idea that Shane isn't a draw. Shane vs Taker was just about the only match that had any hype going in to it last year. And yeah, the casual veiwer will totally be interested in another Shane match, if only to see what his big spot will be. Shane is a draw. And honestly, I think him and AJ will put on a pretty entertaining match. AJ can carry him unlike Taker last year.

AJ vs Shane will be better because AJ isn't a broken down 50 year old man who even in his younger days was not the guy you put with lesser talented workers and expected a good match to come out of it. AJ is one of the best all-round workers in the world and still in his prime, possibly nearing the downside of it but still in his prime none the less. The match had hype because people hadn't seen Shane for seven years and there was a story there that felt like maybe, just maybe something was finally going to change within the company creatively and we'd be free from Raw being the Stephanie/Triple H Authority Fun Hour(s). But then it meant, like most stuff in the company anymore, nothing. Eventually they managed to retrofit the angle into the brand split which could've worked without either of them. Shane is still viewed as "the good McMahon".

EDIT: Forgot, many were hopeful that the finish to the match would involve Cena "screwing" Undertaker so Shane would win which would lead to them having a match this year but also a nope on that.

When you simplistically breakdown a Shane match like that, I can make ANY wrestling match seem like shit. Reality though? He has exciting memorable matches that fans still talk about

AJ should be lucky he got paired with Shane

Sure it's a simplistic breakdown but that's Shane's matches in a nutshell, it's a bad rendition of the standard baby face match formula made worse because Shane is not a wrestler. If you want to call him a wrestler, okay fine as a wrestler he's the modern day George Gulas. All I see with Shane anymore is a guy who isn't a wrestler who is made to look like the toughest guy on in the company, last year him doing that dumb spot and then still getting up from it really highlighted that. Shane McMahon is the toughest guy to ever be in the company going by the logic of how he's presented. Mick Foley with his falls that could've legit killed him, off the old, small by comparison Cell, ain't got shit on him. Shane makes a good rag doll, that's it. AJ could have a great match with a Wrestling Buddy and Shane's only a couple steps up from that.

This thing with AJ is just going to lead to WrestleMania cheering for him and probably booing Shane which which I hope is the desired effect. We're already seeing it happen on Smackdown with AJ getting bigger cheers and rightly so because from the writing he's the face in this scenario even with that terribly over produced ambush that can be viewed as deserved on Shane's end for screwing AJ over.

I hope AJ is getting paid more being "main event" number five or six with Shane than he would anyone that could've potentially been used in Shane's place and I hope he doesn't get hurt carrying Shane in the process.

 

[a916]

Man these old wrestlers that can't move in the ring should not be getting these massive pushes at WM... it's just awkward watching them not being able to do any of the moves that made them big because they are just too old to do them. Watching Undertaker and Triple H go at it was depressing... then again watching Undertaker do anything is depressing.

 

[Hex]

Putting the belts on Goldberg and Bray when their angles would have worked just fine without them was stupid.
They should at least have a stip on the match that if AJ wins he gets to pick which brand he is on.
They are also stupid as hell for not bring Nak up. Nak vs Styles would have blown the roof off of Mania (and could be why) or Nak vs Finn

But we all know that matches will be lucky to get 10 mins because we have to make time for the Rock to come down to the ring and talk...and talk...and to have the cliq come and make a paycheck (they are all in town for WrestleCon) and of course Stephanie will have to get some in ring face time and then they will come out and waste ten minutes to tell us a new indoor record was broken or some stupidity.

 

[kiguel182]

Look like shit? probably would outwork everyone including AJ

Lol no he wouldn't.

 

[Killing_Joke]

Eh the "retirement" angle is silly especially now a days since part timers are becoming more normal as time goes on. And i know the motherfuck can still go, give me HBK over HHH, Goldberg, Taker, and Lesnar any day of the week. But a part of me would have been sad since i want to see Bryan/HBK more but damn AJ/HBK would have been great.

 

[Mahonay]

Look like shit? probably would outwork everyone including AJ

How did I miss this? Lol. Come on man.

 

[PhantomZone]

That match would be lit and probably would steal the show, HBK is also still in great shape. Fuck it all this wrestlemania is going to be worst than the last one.

The last decent Mania from start to finish was WrestleMania 22........ been a very long time!

 

[norm9]

The last live HBK appearance i saw on tv, he looked hobbled. Maybe it was from being out of shape? Definite gimpy leg or something.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Sure it's a simplistic breakdown but that's Shane's matches in a nutshell, it's a bad rendition of the standard baby face match formula made worse because Shane is not a wrestler. If you want to call him a wrestler, okay fine as a wrestler he's the modern day George Gulas. All I see with Shane anymore is a guy who isn't a wrestler who is made to look like the toughest guy on in the company, last year him doing that dumb spot and then still getting up from it really highlighted that. Shane McMahon is the toughest guy to ever be in the company going by the logic of how he's presented. Mick Foley with his falls that could've legit killed him, off the old, small by comparison Cell, ain't got shit on him. Shane makes a good rag doll, that's it. AJ could have a great match with a Wrestling Buddy and Shane's only a couple steps up from that.

Who gives a damn if he's not a wrassler? It's FAKE. Shane has had classics and has entertained, that's all that matters

 

[Mahonay]

The last live HBK appearance i saw on tv, he looked hobbled. Maybe it was from being out of shape? Definite gimpy leg or something.

Wrestling for decades will do that to a body.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Who gives a damn if he's not a wrassler? It's FAKE. Shane has had classics and has entertained, that's all that matters

Yes, for the sorts of people who watch NASCAR for the crashes or hockey for the fights, the sorts who bitch about the "PG era" while pining for the return of the Attitude Era when "wrestlin' wuz good".

 

[Hex]

Who gives a damn if he's not a wrassler? It's FAKE. Shane has had classics and has entertained, that's all that matters

He has been exposed.
His last match against Taker to me at least showed that he needs to stay away from the ring.
He has three or so highspot moves but we have seen them.
Again and again. He can not tell or sell a story between those.
He is good for one story, and that is get the living shit beat out of him and then comeback for the win, but nobody in their right mind wants to see him go over AJ Styles at Wrestlemania.
Now Styles can carry a loaf of bread to three stars, but there is so much more that could have been done with him.

 

[Mike Works]

Man these old wrestlers that can't move in the ring should not be getting these massive pushes at WM... it's just awkward watching them not being able to do any of the moves that made them big because they are just too old to do them. Watching Undertaker and Triple H go at it was depressing... then again watching Undertaker do anything is depressing.

Watching Undertaker on RAW made me somewhat sad just because of how much he's showing his age. Same feeling I got when Vince made his latest return.

The Undertaker character is such an all-time great. Part of me hopes he retires soon, but sticks around as a manager for a protege. Dunno how corny and carny that'd come off (thinking Gangrel levels here), but I know I'll miss the gong and the entrance when it's gone for good.

 

[righthandmouse]

looks like aj was fucked either way to me. hbk or SHANE!